SciFi by the Numbers

I was reading an interesting post analyzing keywords of published science fiction over time. The key takeaway is that the fiction I grew up with (and still write) is dying. Stories about space and starships and planets have been in decline for years. Meanwhile, fantasy elements are up.

I can’t pretend I’m not bummed out. Maybe we just live in such a future that it is too difficult to imagine more? Perhaps people have tech fatigue? After all, in 1960, the idea of a computer was exotic, and a video call was a fantasy. Now we all own dozens of computers (granted, some very specialized), and video calls are nothing.

But it seems like that just means we need to imagine more. Can you fly in space without a ship? What does that look like? What bizarre tech might aliens have? In today’s world, what is the technology that would captivate the typical 15-year-old?

If I knew, I’d write a story about it. But I remain convinced we must imagine more to inspire the next generation of dreamers, inventors, and engineers.